Electric Fences

It's like a giant taser:

• Chicago businesses would have a new crime-fighting weapon — electric security fences that zap would-be intruders — thanks to an ordinance advanced Tuesday over the Chicago Fire Department’s objections.

  The new ordinance, championed by Finance Committee Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th), would authorize electric security fences at least eight-feet high at all commercial properties so long as they’re not adjacent to residential buildings.

The Fire Department is raising some objections though:

• But Assistant Deputy Fire Commissioner John McNicholas warned the Finance Committee that electric fences could make it more difficult for firefighters to access burning buildings.

  [...] “Firefighters, police officers — we carry a lot of equipment…When we are making our move, the last thing we want is to get zapped.”

  McNicholas was equally unimpressed when told that firefighters could be given master keys to switch off the power of an electric fence.

In this day and age, there has to be some fail-safe that would render the fence powerless in the event of an emergency response, isn't there? The CFD uses chains over electrified train tracks when responding to a CTA emergency to prevent an electrocution event.

We're actually kind of wondering if they can somehow energize all that wrought iron Shortshanks had put up over the past few years to keep the criminals at bay in our parks, expressway underpasses, businesses and residences.